Holding device for finishing machines



Feb. 17, I948. w, c, GLOVER, JR 2,436,255

HOLDING DEVICE FOR FINISHING MACHINES Filed Oct. 3, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l b- 1948- w. c. GLOVER, JR HOLDING DEVICE FOR FINISHING MACHINES 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 3, 1945 A TORNEK Patented Feb. 17, 1948 HOLDING DEVICE FOR FINISHING MACHINES William C. Glover, J12, Kansas City. Mo.. assignor to Bill Glover Incorporated, a corporation of Missouri Application October 3, 1945, Serial No. 620,109

9 Claims. 223-70) This invention relates to improvements in garment finishing machines used by dry cleaners and refers more particularly to the device for holding the lower extremity of the garments while they are being processed.

In finishing garments on this type of machine they are supported from hangers above an air or steam blast which bellows or balloons out the garment, forcing drying air or moisture through the fabric to remove solvent odors, wrinkles, raise the nap .of the fabric and to return shape to the' garments after they cleaning operation.

It has been the common practice heretofore togrip the lower hem of dresses, coats, sweaters or the waist band of trousers by clamps to hold have been run through the the garments inposition while they are blasted A further object is to provide a holding device which may be attached to the lower extremity of the garment by a single manual operation.

' Other and further objects will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views,

Fig, 1 is a perspective view of a finishing machine equipped with devices embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of two of the holding devices mounted upon a finishing machine,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken along the line 44 in Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, at i0 is shown a box-like housing within which is a heating coil, not shown, supplied with steam or other heating fluid from any convenient source. 011 the side of the housing is a screened aperture ll through which air is introduced to the housing. A damper in the screened inlet II is regulated by control handle l2. In conjunction with the radiator or heating coil within the housing is a fan by means of which air is drawn through the screened inlet H and is blasted through an aperture in the top of the housing, indicated at 13. The heated air blast produced by the fan is projected upwardly beneath the garment, such as the dress shown at M. The operation of the fan is controlled by an electric switch l5 at the side of the housing.

At a separate station along the side of housing It is a perforated ring through which steam is blasted into garments such as the dress shown at IS. The details of the steaming mechanism and the alternate stations for separately air blasting and steaming the garments is conven-' tional and forms no part of the present invention. The steam supply for adding moisture to the garment at the steaming station may be taken from the same source as the steam supply which heats the radiator or coil within housing ill. The garments are suspended over the air and steaming stations by rod supports ll having suitable extensions or goosenecks to which hangers l'8 are suspended by wires or cords l9. The steam blast is regulated by valve handle 20 while the air blast is regulated by control arm I2. to another, control arm 2| is pulled outwardly to release a central latch on the pivoted base or pedestal upon which supports I! are mounted. The frames holding the garment bottoms may be swung upon this pivot so the. garment over one station maybe shifted to the opposite station and back to its original location as desired. The structure for steaming and air blasting the garments and mechanism for shifting the garments from one station to another is shown and described in Patents 2,214,923, dated September 12, 1940, and 2,241,702. dated May 13. 1941.

As previously suggested the practice in the trade has been to grip or clamp the lower hems or bottoms of garments to be finished by a series of gripping members located about the frames on which they are held. Such clamps are shown in the patents referred to. When garments are clamped in this fashion the areas between the clamping members do not receive the air and steam blast and are consequently unfinished when To shift the garments from one stationhoop-like member into the interior of the garment.

8. In a garment drier, an expandable hoop-like member comprising a plurality of arcuate strips overlapped at their ends, mechanism operable to move said strips relative to the hoop-like member into gripping relationship with the lower hem of a garment arranged externally of said member, means for locking said member in expanded position, and a source of forced air current directed through the hoop-like member into the interior of the garment.

9. In a garment drier, an expandable hoop-like member comprising a plurality of arcuate strips overlapped at their ends, mechanism operable to move said strips relative to one another to one another to expand expand the hoop-like member into gripping relationship with the lower hem of a garment arranged externally of said member, a source of forced air current directed through the hooplike member into the interior of the garment, and perforations in said strip for permitting air to flow therethrough to dry the hem of the garment.

WILLIAM C. GLOVER, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,976,453 Morken Oct. 9, 1934 2,214,923 Glover, Jr Sept. 17, 1940 371,038 Davis Oct. 4, 1887 455,475 Rathgeber July 7, 1891 1,136,148 Levin Apr. 20, 1915 1,371,247 Jonas Mar. 15, 1921 2,172,857 Steele Sept. 12, 1939 120,699 Berry Nov. 7, 1871 1,373,938 Bassett Apr. 5, 1921 1,492,083 Pegues Apr. 29, 1924 1,757,821 Wilson May 6, 1930 1,740,008 Diener Dec. 17, 1929 1,001,594 Hull Aug. 22, 1911 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,744 Great Britain 1889 60,515 Australia Aug. 11, 1913 166,344 Germany Dec. 23, 1905 

